A Comprehensive List of scientifically measured Snake Toxicity

LD50 of venomous snakes

Inland taipan: The so called "most venomous snake". Check the table if there is data to support this claim.

This list contains comprehensive information about the toxicity of venomous snakes. LD50 is the lethal dose, that kills 50% of the animals in laboratory testing. All LD50-values in this list are from laboratory testing with mice. Snake venom is very specific, you can NOT extrapolated use the LD50 from mice to predict the effect on human beings. The list allows you to find the 10 most venomous snakes of the planet by your own criteria. It is presorted by intravenous LD50, but you can sort it to your own criteria by clicking on any column headline. This list is updated regularly and it's our aim to provide the most comprehensive data collection of this kind in the internet. Even though, you will realize there are a lot of white spots in the table. If you have data, please contact us.

Scientific Name The scientific name is the only way to clearly identify a snake species. Common names can be redundant, but scientific names are unique by definition.Common name English name of the snakeClass Smiley = harmless, 1 Skull = potentially dangerous, 2 Skulls = dangerous, 3 Skulls = very dangerous, empty space = we don't know, yetLenght Maximum length of the snake.Weight Maximum weight of the snake. For some snakes we have maximum lenght for adults but weight only for hatchlings, don't wonder if length and weight do not fit together. Those are separate values.Fang Maximum fang length.Venom The venom yield that can get extracted from a snake, usually by milking it. The milking process can be quite cumbersome, especially with rear fanged species like the Boomslang(Dispholidus typus). This snakes has a low nominal venom yield, but a full bite can be lethal nonetheless. Most of the venom yields in our list are from researches in the 1970s or even earlier. New milking methods would in many cases probably result in much higher venom yields.LD50 SC (subcutaneous injection) LD50 is the abbreviation for lethal dose 50, sometimes referred as median lethal dose as well. The unit is milligramm per kilo, low LD50 values characterize strong venoms. All LD50 values in this table are from laboratory testing with mice. A dose that kills 50% of the injected mice is the LD50 value. Testing with other animals (e.g. rats, dogs, cats, guinea pigs, frogs, pigeons, monkeys etc) is possible, but less common than testing with mice. That's why they are not included in this list, our LD50s are from murine testing only. The way of injection plays a vital role in envenomination as well. Subcutaneous injection is the injection directly under the skin. Subcutaneous injection the most common envenomination after a snake bite for humans. That's why we presorted the table by this criteriaLD50 IV (intravenous injection) This is the LD50 for intravenous injection (IV), this happens when the snakebite hits a blood vessel. In most cases - this really depends on the venom type - intravenous injections will show a much stronger effect than subcutaneous injections. Snakebites that directly hit a blood vessel are fortunately relatively rare.LD50 IP (intraperitoneal injection) This is the LD50 for intraperitoneal injection (IP), this happens when a snake bite its victim into the abdomen.LD50 IM (intramuscular injection) This is the LD50 for intramuscular injection(IM). Intramuscular injection requires - at least from the perspective of a human bite victim - long venom fangs. That's why this way of envenomination is comparatively rare and less frequently tested.kills 50% of If you have an LD50 value and a venom yield for a specific snake, you can calculate the number of mice (each at a weight of 20 gr) a snake could theoretically kill with its venom supply. The snake could kill 50% of the displayed number of mice.

Please keep in mind that this table only describes the toxicity of a snake considered they get a full bite with venom injection. IF a snake actually poses a threat to humans is a completely different story and depends on other factors like behaviour and distribution just to name a few. The Inland taipan (Oxyuranus microlepidotus) may be on the top of our list, as it is the snake with the most toxic venom, but it rarely kills people because it lives seclusively in the australian outback. The Saw-scaled viper (Echis carinatus) does not show up in the Top10, but it is considered by many as the most dangerous snake on the planet. It lives close to humans and due to its small size people overlook it easily. And unlike many other snakes, it seldomly gives dry defensive bites. When a Saw-scaled viper bites, and is has a reputation for being aggressive and striking easily, it usually delivers a large quantity of venom. Many people die each year by a bite of this species.